DISCRIMINANT VALIDITY OF THE MMPI DEPRESSION SUBTLE (D-S) AND DEPRESSION OBVIOUS (D-O) SCALES

This study examined the relationship between diagnostic group membersh ip (i.e., lifetime depressed, n = 367; lifetime mixed psychiatric, n = 367; and nonpsychiatric, n = 367) and scores on the Wiener-Harmon Sub tle-Obvious scales (Depression Subtle, D-S, and Depression Obvious, D- O) for the Depression (D) scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personali ty Inventory (MMPI). Additionally, the impact of current versus past d epressive symptomatology on D-S and D-O scores was examined. As expect ed, D-O scores were significantly related to diagnostic group membersh ip, with higher mean scores found in the depressed groups. However, D- S scores were either unrelated or inversely related to the presence or history of depression. The results are discussed in the context of cu rrent empirical literature and clinical practice.